Tubular-magazine rifle.



I mmmsso WITNESSES C. A. NELSON.

' .TUBULAR MAGAZINE RIFLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18. I912- Patented June 1, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

(MENTOR,

' Uzariesfl llram,

C. A. NELSON.

TUBULAR MAGAZINE RIFLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.18, 1912.

Patented June 1, 1915.

5 $HEET$-SHEET Z.

WITNESSES C. A. NELSON.

TUBULAR MAGAZINE RIFLE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18, 1912.

' Patented June 1, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET '4.

Ill/MENTOR (kW/e14 llran,

ATTORNEY.

C. A. NELSON.

TUBULAR MAGAZINE RIFLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-l8, I912.

Patented June 1, 1915 5 SHEETSSHEET 5- I'll/E TOR ATTORNEY WITNESSES CHARLES A. NELSON, or UTICA, EW Yonx, ASSIGNOR TO snvaen Am/rs COMPANY,

or UTICA, NEW voax, ACORPORATION or nw YORK,

TUBULAR-MAGAZINE RIFLE.

amazes.

talities for feeding the cartridges to the breech from a magazine of the tubular class. In. the accompanying drawin s, wherein the invention is fully illustrate Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved arm;

Figs. 2 and 3 are inside elevations of the stock and barrel sections, respectively, of the receiver or frame and of the parts of the mechanism respectively associated with them; Fig. 4zshows the receiver or frame andinternal mechanism, partly in side elevation and partly in-section, the action-slide being back; Figs. 5 and-6 are horizontal sectional views. the planes of the axes of the barrel and magazine, respectively, the.

parts being in the same position as in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 .is a view similar to Fig- 4 with the action-slide forward and the gun ready for firing; Fig. 8 is a plan view; Figs. 9 and 10 are vertical sectional views on line wzv, Fig.

7, looking respectively rearward and for-' ward; Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view in theplane of the main assembling screw d; Figs. 12 and 13 are detail views of the outer and inner ends, respectively, of the magazineand 'its adjuncts; Fig. 14 is an inside elevation of the action-slide; Figs. 15 and 16. are side elevations of the carrier and lifter in two positions during-the transfer of a cartridge from the magazine to the breech; Fig. 17 is a front elevation of said carrier; Figs. 18 and 19 are inside and front elevations of a folding leaf active upon the cartridge. during such transfer; Fig. 20- is a front elevation of the hammer; and, F i s. 21 to 24 illustrate a modification of t e transfer mechanism, Figs 21 and 22 showing the action slide, carrier and lifter in two different positions, Fig. 23. the action slide and Fig. 2. the lifter-in. plan.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1915.

Application filed December 18, 1312,; Serial No. 737,441.

Receio6n-The receiver or. frame a, somewhat similar to that in the patent to Savage above-mentioned, comprises a stock section a and a barrel-section a which lie face to face when assembled (Fig. 8), being interlocked by the mortise and tenon connections 6 and 0 (Figs. 2, 3 and 8) and held together by the single thumb-screw 61 entered through the section a into the threaded bore of a thimble e fitted into section a. Instead of.

having separate upper and lower tan s for the attachment of the stock f, the sectlon a has the single tang g, made loop-shaped to give depth and strength with lightness, formed with the chamfered face 9 into which is tapped the threaded hole g". The stock is formed witha forwardly open mortise h entering its receiver-end, from above and having angular y arranged rear and bottom surfaces, and into this the tangy is fitted and then secured i i/place by the screw 2' entered from below substantially coincident with the apex of and extending in a line bisectingthe angle formed by said surfaces. When the screw is driven home, it draws the tang squarely against both surfaces of the mortise. One screw thus serves to hold the receiver and stock together, and a joint results which is peculiarly stron and durable and adapted for the housing-o certain parts, facilitating the assembling and disassembling and simplifying the shaping of the stock to form the joint.

Magazine.-Below the barrel 7' (which is screwed into the section ain an opening 70 ]ion the front wall of the section a is secured w hich is stayed at a point suitably remote from the receiver by the stirrup n attached rigidly to the barrel and which has the cartridge admission opening 0; also fitted into said opening (permanently) in almement with said tube and projecting into the chamber of the receiver is a tubulure p forming the magazine-terminal, its inwardly projecting portion having a slot 19 on the upper side of less widththan the cartridge heads and being beveled at its inner end upwardly. The magazine-proper includes the the screw l the rear end of the tube m a plug. The end of the tube m has diametriit held in the outer end of the tube by the cross-pin 1) which also holds in place a milled sleeve to, the inner portion of the sleeve 1s as much spaced from the tube as the thiclmess of an external flange w on the end of the cally opposite angular slots 3 with-which, when the magazine-proper has been forced home into tube m, cross-pin '0 may be engaged after the manner of a bayonet joint, it being observed that thereupon the sleeve 'w (which with the plug it forms a cap on the magazine-proper) covers said slots and so prevents the admission of dust or dirt through the slots. Upon withdrawing the magazine-proper the cartridges may be entered through the opening 0 of tube m, to be subjected to the back-pressure of the spring- 'plunger when the magazineproper is again shoved home, all in the usual way.

Action-slide and breech b0Zt.-The actionslide includes a bar y having a sleeve 2 sliding on the guide therefor formed by tube m, on which sleeve is fixed the sliding fore-arm or grip 2, said bar projecting into the receiver and moving in a groove 3 in the inner face of section 0/. The bar has the inwardly projecting stud 4 and lug 5, the latter being in the form of a hook projecting vtoward and spaced from the stud a definite distance fora purpose to be explained; it also has onits under side the notch 6. With the notch is adapted to engage the springpressed hook-lever 7 serving as a detent to lock the action-slide against retraction under a condition to be explained, the said lever being fulcrumed in section a of the receiver and projecting therefrom under the magazine (Fig. 7).

The breech-bolt 8 rests at its rear end on the stud 4 of bar y and at its forward end it has a depend-ing toe 9 which rests on the upper edge of said bar (whose thickness is' greater than the depth of its guiding groove 3). The rear end of the breech-bolt has a depending hook 10 formed with the opposite inclined surfaces 10, 10", the latter of which merges into the horizontal surface 10. The said hook plays between the stud 4 and the surface 5 of the lug 5, and when the action-slide is retracted the stud 4 engages the surface 10 and first cams the a hook 10 has but slightly less thickness than the distance between the stud 4 and the adjacent end of the hook-shaped lug 5, and since it must be exactly opposite the passage therebetween in order to be removed it will generally remain in its assembled position (that is, as one of the elements, including said breech-bolt, the action-slide and hooklever 7, carried by the receiver-section a) when the gun is taken down. I The firing-pin 15 (Figs. 3 and 9) is suitably retained in the breech-bolt so as to slide in a'longitudinal slot 16 in the under side thereof, projecting a little below the breech-bolt, as shown in Fig. 9. The breech-bolt has a cartridge extractor 17 in the form of a springhook projecting in advance of the breechingface of the bolt and the opposite hooked projections 18 coacting with the extractor and, between them, a longitudinal groove 19, all substantially as in the said Savage patent.

Firing meeham'sm.The hammer 2O pivoted at 21 and movable against the firingpin, to the limit afforded by a stop 22, under the pressure of a spring 23 coiled between the rear part of the tang g and ashoulder on the thrust bar 24 bearing against the hammer and guided in the tang; the trigger 25 engageable with a notch 26 (to hold the hammer retracted when the lug 5 on the action-slide is forced backward against a cam surface 20' on the hammer and so moves the hammer to the cocked position) in the hammer and held against the hammer by the locking bar 27 normally pressed downwardly by the spring 28, and the slide 29 for. shifting said locking bar backward and;

forward, under or clear of the abutment shoulder 30 on the tang g, are or may be all substantially the same as in the said Savage patent, excepting that the locking bar is guided in a longitudinal slot 31 in the thrust bar. Further, in the present case the hammer has a lateral stud 32 which, in the forward position of the hammer, bears upon the rear end of the hook-lever 7 depressing the latter out of engagement with the actionslide. Normally, therefore, when the hammer is cooked, by having forced back the action-slide which, in its next or forward movement has caused a cartridge to be breeched, the hook-lever 7, being unengaged by the hammer, locks the action-slide against backward movement; if, therefore, the action-slide will not respond to backward movement the operator is advisedthat the gun is cooked and is prevented from ejecting an unexploded cartridge. The action-slide may nevertheless be relased by pressing with the finger upon the protruding end of the hook-lever 7.

Shell ejecting mechanism-.The receiver section a" has a shell ejection opening 33 and opposite this opening the section a has the spring-pressed ejector 34 which is accommodated by the groove 19 in the breechbolt and cooperates with the cartridge extractor 17 all substantially the same as in the said Savage patent.

Cartridge -transfer-ring meoham'sm.0n the thimble e is fulcrumed the bifurcated carrier 35 having an arc-shaped forward wall 36, a cartridge-seat formed in its upper part by cutting away opposite portions of its sides or legs 37 from said wall (which has an opening 38 leading to said seat) rearwardly to a suitable int to form ledges 39, and the stop or over ang 40 which is'preferably inclined on the under side and is divided by the longitudinal groove 41 cut in the top of the carrier and adaptedto receive some suitable portion of the breech-bolt, such" as the firing-pin. The car ier may. swing on its fulcrum between limi aflorded by the bottom of the receiver chamber and the stop 22; in these positions its cartridge seat is alined with the magazine and barrel bores, respectively. Fulcrumed on said thimble 6 between the legs of the carrier is the lifter 42 which is movable between the abutments 35- and 35' of the carrier and is normally pressed up by a spiral spring 43 coiled about the pin 44 and having its ends bearing respectively against the bottom of.

the receiver chamber and the lifter; near its fulcrum it has an upstanding hump 42 formed at the rear of its upper surface 42" which is substantially straight but for downward curvature at its forward end, as at 42", which is somewhat in advance of the overhang 40 of the carrier. The stud 4 on the action-slide wipes over hump 42 on the lifter. When the action-slide is forward said stud, having mounted the hump and pressed the lifter against abutment 35'on the carrier, holds both lifter and carrier down; when the action-slide is retracted, the lifter is elevated by its spring and, according asa cartridge is present or absent in the carrier, elevates the latter either by pressing the cartridge upwardly against the stop or overhang 40 (thus causing the cartridge to be securely held by the carrier and lifter) or coming itself to bear against the abutment 354. In Figs. 21 to 24 the transfer mechanism is substantially the same except ing that the action-slide partakes in the ralsing of the carrier (thus giving a smoother and easier action and making it possible to employ a lighter elevating spring) by having a cam 42 to plow under a stud 42 on the side of the carrier and thus cam the latter upwardly when the action slide is retracted; the stop 35" is in the illustrated form of this modification on one side of the lifter, instead of on the carrier. A

recess 45 is cut from the inside into the side Wall of the receiver section a and in this is secured a plate 46 on a pin in which is pivoted the leaf 48 which is normally pressed downwardly (substantially horizontally) over the carrier (when 'depressed) by a spring 47, but which, when the carrier rises, is wiped or folded back thereby into said recess (Figs. 2 and 9 and 4), held by its spring pressing against the side of the carrier ready to return to the first position when the carrier returns. There is the same intact relamechanisms with respect to the receiver section a as has already been described withtion ofthe firing, ejecting and transfer depressed. The cartridge-seat of the carrier being in this position alined with the cartridge-seat, the overhanging leaf 48 covering the upwardly open seat so that the head of the cartridge comes to rest under 'bore of the magazine-proper the magazineplunger has pushed a cartridge into the the overhang 40; The breech-bolt is of I course at this time in the breech-closing position. When, now, the action-slide is retracted, withdrawing the breech-bolt, the stud 4 thereon allows the lifter to rise, which it does with a more or less quick movement as it wipes back over the hump thereof. The lifter, pressing upwardly against the cartridge, thereby elevates-the carrier which, wiping the leaf 48 aside, comes against the stop 22, the cartridge then remaining held firmly gripped between the overhang 40 and the lifter, standing with its nose slightly raised (Fig. 16). Meanwhile the breech-boltis being retracted and before the carrier, lifter and cartridge come to the upward limit afforded by the stop 22 1 their upward movement is first temporarily checked by the breech-bolt, whose firing-pin, moving backin the groove 41 of the carrier, wipes along the top of the cartridge until the forward end of the retreating firing-pin clears the cartridge and allows the latter to force the carrier to its limit under the pressure of the lifter. The empty shell being ejected, when the breech-bolt is now advanced by the returning action-slide the forward end of the firing-pin enters the groove 4-1 and engages and forwards the cartridge in its seat, the movement of the cartridge being in an upwardly inclined direction due to the inclined underneath surface of the overhang and the upward pressure of the lifter. When the cartridge finally clears the overhang (which, since the forward end of the firing pins is at this time flush with that of the breech-bolt, occurs when the forward end of the breech-bolt is coincident with the extremity of the overhang) it is immediately forced up by the lifter, its head being received and held by the gripping action of the spring hook 17 and pro jections l8 and being backed by the end of the advancing bolt, which carries it forward and breeches it in the usual way. Meanwhile, wall 36 of the carrier has been holding the line of cartridges in the magazine against the backwardpressure of the spring plunger, and when the carrier and lifter, during the forward movement of the action-slide, are returned to the position shown in Fig. 15 another cartridge is forced into the cartridge-seat of the carrier the same as before. The slot of the magazine terminal 19 (Fig. 13), though too narrow to pass the head of a cartridge, will pass the body thereof; wherefore the present gun is adapted to handle not only short cartridges (6. 6., which when forced home into the carrier, would be wholly contained therein) but cartridges of the long or long-rifle type which, when seated in the carrier, would project therefrom. Fig. 7 shows the gun loaded with cartridges of varying lengths.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure bv Letters Patent is 1. In combination, means for holding and exploding the charge including a receiver having a rearward tang, a stock having at its forward end a mortise entering from the top side of the stock and opening forwardly thereof and having its bottom and rear surfaces angularly disposed and receiving the tang, and a screw entered through the stock from the bottom side thereof into the tang substantially at the apex of the angle formed by said surfaces and extending in a line bisecting said angle, substantially as described.

2. In combination, means for holding and exploding the charge including a receiver having a rearward tang, a stock having at its forward end a mortise entering from its top side and open forwardly and receiving the tang, said mortise having a longitudinal bottom surface and a rearward upright surface, and means to secure the tang in the stock including a single screw extending in a line at an angle to each of said surfaces of the mortise and thereby maintaining surfaces of the tang against both said surfaces of the mortise, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the receiver, the barrel, the fixed cartridge magazine delivering the .cartridges contained therein butt-end foremost into the receiver, and means to remove a cartridge crosswise thereof from the delivery portion of the magazine and then breech the same, said means having cartridge-removing and breeching movement relatively to said magazine delivery portion and said portion having a lateral opening facing the direction of removal of the cartridge and extending to the end of said portion and narrower than the head but wider than they body of the cartridge, substantially as described.

4. In combination, the receiver, the barrel, the cartridge magazine, a normally fixed terminal for the magazine delivering the cartridges butt-end foremost into the receiver, and means to remove a cartridge crosswise thereof from the terminal and then breech the same, said terminal having an opening facing the direction of removal of the cartridge and extending to the end of said terminal and narrower than the head but wider than the body ofthe cartridge, substantially as described.

5. In combination, the receiver, the barrel, a magazine terminal opening rearwardly into the receiver, a carrier arranged opposite the rearward end of the terminal and adapted to receive a cartridge delivered butt-end foremost from the terminal, and means for thereupon shifting the carrier toward the barrel, said terminal on the side thereof adjoining the barrel having an openingextending to the rear of the termlr nal and narrower than the headbut wider than the body of the cartridge, substantially as described.

6. In combination, the receiver, the barrel, the rearwardly open cartridge magazine delivering therefrom into the receiver and butt-end foremost the cartridges contained in said magazine and means to receive a cartridge so delivered and then remove the same crosswise thereof and subsequently breech the cartridge, the delivery portion of the magazine having an opening facing the direction of removal of the cartridge and extending to the end of said portion and narrower than the head but wider than the body of the cartridge, substantially as described.

7. A gun including a receiver, a cockable firing mechanism, means for cocking the firing mechanism and breeching a cartrldge 1nc'luding an action slide extending and movable longitudinally of the gun, and an action slide locking lever fulcrumed on a transverse horizontal axis and extending longitudinally of, beneath and in the same planeas the action slide and having rearward of its fulcrum means to catch and hold the action slide against rearward movement and the portion forward of its fulcrum protrudmg from the receiver and afifording means for manually moving said lever to the action slide releasing position, substantially as described.

8. A gun including 'a receiver, a breechbolt member movablelongitudinally of thegun, and a longitudinally movable action slide member, 'said members being intercoupled and having their coupling. portions affording longitudinal lost-motion relatively to each other and separable from each other sidewise of thegnn but coacting to oppose such separation for the major part of the range of movement of one of said portions relatively to the other, substantially as decoupled and havingtheir coupling portions affording longitudinal lost-motion relatively to each other and said coupling portions having cam action on each other to shift the breech-bolt member and being separable from each other sidewise of thegun but coacting to oppose such separation for the major part of the range of movement of one of saidportions'relatively to the other, substantially as described.

10. In combination, the barrel,=the breechbolt member movable longitudinally of the barrel and also transversely into and out of recoil-locked engagement with the receiver,

and the longitudinally movable action-slide member, said members being intercoupled and their coupling portions having lost-motion relatively to each other longitudinally and also cam-action on each other to shift the breech-bolt member transversely and one of said portions including a lateral hook adapted to overlie the other and hold the breech-bolt against lateral displacement, substantially as described.

11. The combination, with the receiver, the barrel and the magazine discharging substantially longitudinally of the barrel, of a carrier movable across the barrel-breech and magazine discharge-end and having an upwardly exposed cartridge-seat, and a carrier-covering device pivotally movable into and out of the path of the carrier on an axis extending substantially longitudinally of the barrel, substantially as described.

12. In combination, the receiver, the barrel, a backwardly and forwardly moving cartridge-breeching structure, elastic means\ to urge the cartridge into the path of movement of the breeching structure, and a eartridge-stop member movable under pressure of the thus-urged cartridge against a fixed part of the receiver, substantially as described.

13. In combination, the receiver, the barrel, a backwardly and forwardly moving cartridge-breeching structure, elastic means to urge the cartridge into the path of movement of the breeching structure,- and a oreeching-structure-controlled cartridge-stop member movable under pressure of the thusurged cartridge against a fixed part of thereceiver, substantially as described.

14:- Means for. transferring the cartridges from the magazine to the barrel-breech of a gunofthe type described including a carrier having an exposed cartridge-seat open at one end thereof, and an overhang over the other end of said seat, in combination with a pressure-exerting member coactive with said overhang to grip'the cartridge and supported independently of the carrier, and means to dislodge the gripped cartridge from under the overhang, substantially as described.

15. In combination, the receiver, the barrel-breech and magazine each opening into the receiver, and means for transferring the cartridges from the magazine to the barrelbreech including a cartridge-displacing member spring-pressed to move crosswise of the magazine and barrel-breech and yielding i means for resisting the pressure of the displaced cartridge supported independently of said member, substantially as described.

16, In combination, the receiver, the barrel-breech and magazine each opening into the receiver, and means for transferring the cartridges from the magazine to the barrelbreech including a cartridge-displacing member movable crosswise of the magazine and barrel-breech and yielding means, including an action slide,- for resisting the pressure of the displaced cartridge supported independent-ly of said member, substantially as described.

17. Mechanism for transferring the cartridges from the magazine to the barrelbreech of a gun of the type described including a pair of coactive cartridge gripping members movable together back and forth, means normally acting to press said members in one direction and manually operated means for moving said members in the opposite direction while subject to the pressure of the first means,' substantially as described.

18. Mechanism for transferring the cartridges from the magazine to the barrelbreech of a gun of the type described including a pair of coactive cartridge gripping members movable together back and forth, a spring operating to move, said members in one direction and manually operated means for moving. said members in the opposite direction, substantiallv as described. a

19. Mechanism for transferring the cartridges from the magazine to the barrelbreech of a gun of the type described including a pair of coacti've' cartridge gripping members, means, including a manually moved part, for maintaining said members normally in cartridge receiving relation to the magazine, and a spring to move said members into cartridge delivering relation to the barrel-breech on movement of said part, substantially as described.

20. In combination, the receiver, the barrel, the magazine, the firing mechanism, and

mechanism to transfer the cartridges from the magazine to the barrel-breech including a pair of cartridge-gripping members movable together andone relatively to the other, and an action-slide controlling the mutual and relative movements of said members, substantially as described.

21, The combination of the receiver, the barrel-breech, themagazine beneath the bar'- rel, and coactive instrumentalities for forwarding each magazine-discharged cartridge into the barrel-breech including a spring-uplifted cartridge elevating member,

, a stop for the uplifted cartridge projecting toward the barrel breech and a cartridge holding and breeching member above the stop having its holding portion open downwardly and movable against the cartridge rearwardly into the receiver, and coactive,

, instrumentalities for forwarding each magazine discharged cartridge into breeched position in the barrel including a cartridgegripping elevating mechanism affording forward release to a cartridge held thereby and a cartridge holding and breeching breechbolt having its holding portion open downwardly and movable against a cartridge to displace the same forward out of the, grip of said elevating mechanism, said mechamsm having means to press,the cartridge thereupon upwardly into the hold of the breech-bolt, substantially as described.

24. The combination of the receiver, the barrel, the magazine beneath the barrel discharging the cartridges rearwardly into the receiver, the firing mechanism, the actionslide, and means for forwarding the magazine-discharged cartridges into breeched position in the barrel including a spring j uplifted action-slide-operated cartridge carrier, substantially as described.

25. The combination of the receiver, the barrel, the magazine beneath the barrel discharging the cartridges rearwardly into the receiver, the firing mechanism, the actionsllde, and means for forwarding the magazine-discharged cartridge into breeched position in the barrel including a spring uplifted action-slide-depressed cartridge carrier, substantially as described.

26. The combination of the receiver, the barrel, the magazine beneath the barrel discharging the cartridges butt-end foremost rearwardly into the receiver, the firing mechanism, the action slide and, means for forwarding the magazine-discharged cartridges into breeched position in the barrel including a vertically movable cartridge carrier and an action slide pressed member coactive with the carrier to grip the cartridge in the carrier, substantially as described.

27. In combination, the receiver, the barrel, the magazine below the barrel discharging the cartridges into the receiver, means to transfer the magazine-discharged cartridges into breeched position in the barrel including a cartridge carrier movable up and down, an actuating member for said carrier movable up and down in each direction against the carrier, and means to actuate the said member, substantially as described.

28. In combination, the receiver, the barrel, the magazine below the barrel discharging the cartridges into the receiver, means to transfer the magazine-discharged cartridge into breeched position in the barrel including coaxially pivoted cartridge-carrier and cartridge-carrier-actuating members, the latter having limited movement independently of the former and means to actuate the actuating member, substantially as described.

29. In combination, the receiver, the barrel, the magazine, the firing mechanism, and mechanism to transfer the cartridge from the magazine to the barrel-breech including a movable carrier and means for tilting the carrier on its butt-end in the carrier and relatively thereto, substantially as described.

30. In combination, the receiver, the barrel and magazine each opening rearwardly,

into the receiver and the latter permanently projecting rearwardly farther than the former and having an opening in the part thereof nearest the barrel narrower than the head but wider than the body of the cartridge, and means to remove the cartridge through said opening and then breech the same, substantially as described.

Intestimony whereof I afi'x my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. NELSON. Witnesses:

Jos. A. DAVIS, Jos. G. SLIKER. 

